Sheffield United must use their experience to overcome Peterborough this afternoon, one Bramall Lane’s most senior players has insisted.

Mark Duffy, who helped Burton Albion win promotion from League One before moving to South Yorkshire earlier this year, admitted Grant McCann’s side can look “unbelievable” going forward.

But, citing the presence of players such as Jake Wright, Daniel Lafferty and Paul Coutts in Chris Wilder’s squad, the former Birmingham City midfielder said: “I think it’s good we have experience in our side. Sometimes you see Peterborough and they are unplayable. The next week they can get beat 5-0. That comes with experience and they haven’t got that at the moment.

“Hopefully we get them on a poor day, because if you get them on a good day they can open any team up in the league. They can have 20 minutes in a game where they are unbelievable, then 20 minutes where they are not.

“We have the experience, and hopefully we can plan our way through the game.”

With the average of United’s team being 25.4, compared to 23.5 for the visitors, manager Chris Wilder also acknowledged they will adopt a cerebral rather than swashbuckling approach during today’s match.

Sheffield United play Peterborough United at Bramall Lane today
� BLADES SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Echoing those sentiments, Duffy said: “We are at a massive club, and we all know the aim, we want to get out of this league. It comes from the top, the gaffer makes sure we target wins, and the players have to be demanding of ourselves. If people aren’t doing it, they need to be told.

“Football is not just physical, it’s mental too. You see players who seem to have everything, quick, strong, great technical ability - but sometimes, they aren’t mentally there at a specific stage of their career and need time to develop.”

“Peterborough are a good team and they attack really well,” Duffy added. “I can see it being an open game and a few goals. They are a young’ish team who like to go forward and score goals for fun. But if we can restrict them, they commit men forward, hopefully we can hit them on the counter-attack.”